--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The human brain became large by natural…" description: "\"The human brain became large by natural selection (who knows why, but presumably for good cause). Yet surely most \"things\" now done by our brains, and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fea/stephen-jay-gould-885_brain_the-human-brain-became-large-by-natural_2791456.png" --- # The human brain became large by natural selection (who… ![“The human brain became large by natural selection (who knows why, but presumably for good cause). Yet surely most "things" now done by our brains, and essential both to our cultures and to our very survival, are epiphenomena of the computing power of this machine, not genetically grounded…” quote by Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fea/stephen-jay-gould-885_brain_the-human-brain-became-large-by-natural_2791456.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fea/stephen-jay-gould-885_brain_the-human-brain-became-large-by-natural_2791456.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fea/stephen-jay-gould-885_brain_the-human-brain-became-large-by-natural_2791456.png) > “The human brain became large by natural selection (who knows why, but presumably for good cause). Yet surely most "things" now done by our brains, and essential both to our cultures and to our very survival, are epiphenomena of the computing power of this machine, not genetically grounded Darwinian entities created specifically by natural selection for their current function.” [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human cognition may be an emergent by‑product of brain size, not a direct adaptation, suggesting many mental functions are epiphenomenal. **In simple terms:** Mind may be a side‑effect of brain growth. Key Takeaway Recognize limits of evolutionary explanations. Themes evolution mind biology philosophy Mood analytical thoughtful skeptical Type philosophical scientific When to use this quote - scientific research - education - technology development Key Concepts epiphenomenon adaptation computational theory Questions to Reflect On - What mental abilities could be non‑adaptive? - How does this view affect moral responsibility? A Different Perspective Oversimplifies complex brain functions as mere by‑products. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Brains Essential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brains-essential-3381217/) [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Computing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computing/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Currents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/currents/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Entity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entity/) [Essentials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essentials/) [Function](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/function/) [Good causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-causes/) [Grounded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grounded/) [Human brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-brain/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machines/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Natural selection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-selection/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Selection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selection/) [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) [Things Brains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-brains-3381218/) ## Related quotes > [When we brand things, our brains perceive them as more special and valuable than they actually are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-lindstrom/when-we-brand-things-our-brains-perceive-them-as-more-special-and/) [Martin Lindstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-lindstrom/) > [Research is four things: brains with which to think, eyes with which to see, machines with which to measure and, fourth, money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-szent-gyorgyi/research-is-four-things-brains-with-which-to-think-eyes-with-which-to/) [Albert Szent-Gyorgyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-szent-gyorgyi/) > [But I do believe in the paranormal, that there are things our brains just can't understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-bell/but-i-do-believe-in-the-paranormal-that-there-are-things-our-brains/) [Art Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-bell/) > [I want to literally make people smarter by jamming things in their brains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-ming/i-want-to-literally-make-people-smarter-by-jamming-things-in-their/) [Vivienne Ming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-ming/) > [The hope is that, in not too many years, human brains and computing machines will be coupled together very tightly, and that the resulting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-r-licklider/the-hope-is-that-in-not-too-many-years-human-brains-and-computing/) [J. C. R. Licklider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-r-licklider/) > [By 2020, most home computers will have the computing power of a human brain. That doesn't mean that they are brains, but it means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/by-2020-most-home-computers-will-have-the-computing-power-of-a-human/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [“This has been the point of much of this book. The human brain is a machine designed by natural selection to respond in pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wright/this-has-been-the-point-of-much-of-this-book-the-human-brain-is-a/) [Robert Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wright/) > [Societies would \_not\_ be better off if everyone were like Mr Spock, all rationality and no emotion. Instead, a balance - a teaming up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eagleman/societies-would-not-be-better-off-if-everyone-were-like-mr-spock-all/) [David Eagleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eagleman/) > [“If you want the shortest version of my answer to the question of why Buddhism is true, it's this: Because we are animals created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wright/if-you-want-the-shortest-version-of-my-answer-to-the-question-of-why/) [Robert Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wright/) > [“The rather uncomfortable feeling most of us have when we're around snakes is evidence of how this ancient experience continues to influence us today.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-gardner/the-rather-uncomfortable-feeling-most-of-us-have-when-we-re-around/) [Daniel Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-gardner/) > [The human brain is a product of natural selection. In the face of scarcity, our hominid great-great-uncles were unable to compete against our sapient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-rosenstein/the-human-brain-is-a-product-of-natural-selection-in-the-face-of/) [Justin Rosenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-rosenstein/) > [Natural selection shaped the human brain to be drawn toward aspects of nature that enhance our survival and reproduction, like verdant landscapes and docile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/natural-selection-shaped-the-human-brain-to-be-drawn-toward-aspects/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [Zoocentrism is the primary fallacy of human sociobiology, for this view of human behavior rests on the argument that if the actions of "lower"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/zoocentrism-is-the-primary-fallacy-of-human-sociobiology-for-this/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [“We do not inhabit a perfected world where natural selection ruthlessly scrutinizes all organic structures and then molds them for optimal utility. Organisms inherit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/we-do-not-inhabit-a-perfected-world-where-natural-selection/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [My own field of paleontology has strongly challenged the Darwinian premise that life's major transformations can be explained by adding up, through the immensity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/my-own-field-of-paleontology-has-strongly-challenged-the-darwinian/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) ## More by Stephen Jay Gould > [I strongly reject any conceptual scheme that places our options on a line, and holds that the only alternative to a pair of extreme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-strongly-reject-any-conceptual-scheme-that-places-our-options-on-a/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [History employs evolution to structure biological events in time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/history-employs-evolution-to-structure-biological-events-in-time/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [In his anti-Darwinian book... (and eponymously named The Neck of the Giraffe ), Francis Hitching tells the story... "The need to survive by reaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/in-his-anti-darwinian-book-and-eponymously-named-the-neck-of-the/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [... many folks take them seriously because they just 'know' that evolution can never be seen in the immediate here and now. In fact,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/many-folks-take-them-seriously-because-they-just-know-that-evolution/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Charles Darwin viewed the fossil record more as an embarrassment than as an aid to his theory ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/charles-darwin-viewed-the-fossil-record-more-as-an-embarrassment-than/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Zoocentrism is the primary fallacy of human sociobiology, for this view of human behavior rests on the argument that if the actions of "lower"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/zoocentrism-is-the-primary-fallacy-of-human-sociobiology-for-this/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [The world, unfortunately, rarely matches our hopes and consistently refuses to behave in a reasonable manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-world-unfortunately-rarely-matches-our-hopes-and-consistently/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [The true beauty of nature is her amplitude; she exists neither for nor because of us, and possesses a staying power that all our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-true-beauty-of-nature-is-her-amplitude-she-exists-neither-for-nor/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [With copious evidence ranging from Plato's haughtiness to Beethoven's tirades, we may conclude that the most brilliant people of history tend to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/with-copious-evidence-ranging-from-plato-s-haughtiness-to-beethoven-s/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [When scientists need to explain difficult points of theory, illustration by hypothetical example - rather than by total abstraction - works well (perhaps indispensably)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/when-scientists-need-to-explain-difficult-points-of-theory/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [The truly awesome intellectuals in our history have not merely made discoveries; they have woven variegated, but firm, tapestries of comprehensive coverage. The tapestries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-truly-awesome-intellectuals-in-our-history-have-not-merely-made/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [I believe that we can still have a genre of scientific books suitable for and accessible alike to professionals and interested laypeople. The concepts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-believe-that-we-can-still-have-a-genre-of-scientific-books-suitable/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Science simply cannot adjudicate the issue of God's possible superintendence of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/science-simply-cannot-adjudicate-the-issue-of-god-s-possible/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [But if we laugh with derision, we will never understand. Human intellectual capacity has not altered for thousands of years so far as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/but-if-we-laugh-with-derision-we-will-never-understand-human/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [We debase the richness of both nature and our own minds if we view the great pageant of our intellectual history as a compendium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/we-debase-the-richness-of-both-nature-and-our-own-minds-if-we-view/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) [Explore all 341 Stephen Jay Gould quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) ## More Brain quotes > [The brain abhors discrepancies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/the-brain-abhors-discrepancies/) [Vilayanur S. Ramachandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/) > [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [down with ought with because with every brain that thinks it thinks nor dares to feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/down-with-ought-with-because-with-every-brain-that-thinks-it-thinks/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To explicate the uses of the Brain seems as difficult a task as to paint the Soul, of which it is commonly said, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-willis/to-explicate-the-uses-of-the-brain-seems-as-difficult-a-task-as-to/) [Thomas Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-willis/) > [I prefer the word 'musician.' I'm a musician and a composer. I have a problem with the word 'artist.' I don't know if it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-prefer-the-word-musician-i-m-a-musician-and-a-composer-i-have-a/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [Thinking of sex provides enough mental stimulation to reduce risk of diseases that damage the brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/thinking-of-sex-provides-enough-mental-stimulation-to-reduce-risk-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My writing routine is: get son off to school and sit down at 8 A.M. I read what I wrote the day before, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chevalier/my-writing-routine-is-get-son-off-to-school-and-sit-down-at-8-a-m-i/) [Tracy Chevalier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chevalier/) > [The reason I'm drawn to it is - both the off road racing and the motorcycles on the track - it takes a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dax-shepard/the-reason-i-m-drawn-to-it-is-both-the-off-road-racing-and-the/) [Dax Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dax-shepard/) > [Without illusions. I love you because you are fallible and because your poor misguided testosterone-corrupted brain has you doing cartwheels trying not to be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-gerard/without-illusions-i-love-you-because-you-are-fallible-and-because/) [Cindy Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-gerard/) > [being asked to decide between your passion for work and your passion for children was like being asked by your doctor whether you preferred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-bevington/being-asked-to-decide-between-your-passion-for-work-and-your-passion/) [Helen Bevington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-bevington/) > [I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label. Now I have a clearer understanding of what's wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-boyle/i-was-told-i-had-brain-damage-i-always-knew-it-was-an-unfair-label/) [Susan Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-boyle/) > [The act of learning to read added an entirely new circuit to our hominid brain's repertoire. The long developmental process of learning to read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/the-act-of-learning-to-read-added-an-entirely-new-circuit-to-our/) [Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/) > [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [I am the way I am. If you like me because I'm glamorous, so be it. If you like me, because I speak well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malaika-arora-khan/i-am-the-way-i-am-if-you-like-me-because-i-m-glamorous-so-be-it-if/) [Malaika Arora Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malaika-arora-khan/) [Browse all 8,465 Brain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The human brain became large by natural selection (who knows why, but presumably for good cause). Yet surely most \"things\" now done by our brains, and essential both to our cultures and to our very survival, are epiphenomena of the computing power of this machine, not genetically grounded Darwinian entities created specifically by natural selection for their current function.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen Jay Gould" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-human-brain-became-large-by-natural-selection-who-knows-why-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-human-brain-became-large-by-natural-selection-who-knows-why-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fea/stephen-jay-gould-885_brain_the-human-brain-became-large-by-natural_2791456.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fea/stephen-jay-gould-885_brain_the-human-brain-became-large-by-natural_2791456.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fea/stephen-jay-gould-885_brain_the-human-brain-became-large-by-natural_2791456.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The human brain became large by natural selection (who knows why, but presumably for good cause). Yet surely…” — Stephen Jay Gould", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Stephen Jay Gould", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The human brain became large by...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-human-brain-became-large-by-natural-selection-who-knows-why-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-human-brain-became-large-by-natural-selection-who-knows-why-but/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```